July 2, 2023 • 13 mins
A Pearl of wisdom is a piece of wise advice, that is metaphorically as precious as a pearl. The phrase has been about for centuries and came about I believe as pearls themselves take a long time to form, just like the wise words of knowledge that they are compared to. This is another short episode, but it’s packed full of invaluable advice.
For a full transcript of this episode please go to the official website https://www.filmproproductivity.com/
Show links:
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: https://www.filmproproductivity.com/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/FilmProProdPod
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/filmproproductivity
CONTACT: https://www.filmproproductivity.com/contact
INDIE FILM HUSTLE: https://indiefilmhustle.com/ifh-podcast-network-filmmaking-and-screenwriting/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqo0Zld2Lm2lJDpDh3GsuZg
QUOTES:
There are always lessons to be found in the darkest moments. It's a moral obligation to dig deep and find that little glimmer of hope or pearl of wisdom. Andrea Pirlo
It is impossible to begin to learn that which one thinks one already knows. Epictetus
LESSONS
Thanks:
A Himitsu
Music By: Music by A Himitsu
Track: Adventures by A Himitsu https://www.soundcloud.com/a-himitsu
Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
Music released by Argofox https://www.youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE
Music provided by Audio Library https://www.youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8
Contact the artist: x.jonaz@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/ahimitsuhttps://www.twitter.com/ahimitsu1
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A
For a full transcript of this episode please go to the official website https://www.filmproproductivity.com/
Show links:
OFFICIAL WEBSITE: https://www.filmproproductivity.com/
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/FilmProProdPod
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/filmproproductivity
CONTACT: https://www.filmproproductivity.com/contact
INDIE FILM HUSTLE: https://indiefilmhustle.com/ifh-podcast-network-filmmaking-and-screenwriting/
YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqo0Zld2Lm2lJDpDh3GsuZg
QUOTES:
There are always lessons to be found in the darkest moments. It's a moral obligation to dig deep and find that little glimmer of hope or pearl of wisdom. Andrea Pirlo
It is impossible to begin to learn that which one thinks one already knows. Epictetus
LESSONS
- Don’t go fishing where there ain’t no fish
- Perfection is not possible nor is it productive
- What’s for you will not go by you.
Thanks:
A Himitsu
Music By: Music by A Himitsu
Track: Adventures by A Himitsu https://www.soundcloud.com/a-himitsu
Creative Commons — Attribution 3.0 Unported— CC BY 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
Music released by Argofox https://www.youtu.be/8BXNwnxaVQE
Music provided by Audio Library https://www.youtu.be/MkNeIUgNPQ8
Contact the artist: x.jonaz@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/ahimitsuhttps://www.twitter.com/ahimitsu1
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgFwu-j5-xNJml2FtTrrB3A
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:06):
Hello, and welcome back to FilmPro, Productivity and Success, the podcast
that helps film professionals and other creativepeople. All creative people I like to
think to live a more focused,effective and happy life. My name is
Carter Ferguson and this is episode onehundred and thirty nine three Perils of Invaluable
(00:26):
Wisdom. There are always lessons tobe found in the darkest moments. It's
a moral obligation to dig deep andfind that little glimmer of hope or peril
of wisdom. Andrea Pilow unquote,as we all know, a peril of
wisdom is a piece of wise advice. It's something that is meta, not
(00:51):
metamorphically, metaphorically as precious as perils. And this phrase has been about for
centuries and it came about, Ibelieve, as perils themselves take a very
long time to form, just likethe wise words of knowledge that they are
compared to. And this, Folks, is another short episode, a minnisode.
I like to refer to it asAnd it actually is a little bit
(01:12):
harder for me to do a shortepisode. It's a little more effort to
do a short episode, believe itor not, than a long one.
But I can absolutely assure you ispacked full of invaluable advice. Without further
ado, then I ask you tosettle down and listen up to these three
perls of productivity wisdom. The firstof these is a topic which I almost
(01:34):
did a whole show on, butI think it's it's just enough to represent
a third of a show rather thanone whole show. And it's something that's
just it's something I've noticed when I'mtrying to promote myself. It's something I've
noticed when I'm trying to get work. Is something I've noticed when I'm trying
to raise funds or whatever. Andthe phrase is this, don't go fishing
(01:55):
where there ain't no fish. I'llsay that one more time. Don't go
fishing where there ain't no fish.It's a metaphorical expression that advises against wasting
your time, your efforts, oryour resources on endeavors that are unlikely to
yield any of the desired results orbenefits that you're seeking. Instead, it
(02:16):
suggests you should focus on opportunities orsituations where there is a higher likelihood of
success or fulfillment. And in aliteral sense, when you go fishing,
the primary goal is to catch fish, and if you choose a location where
there aren't no fish, you willlikely spend a lot of time and effort
without achieving your desired outcome. Andsimilarly, in various aspects of life,
(02:39):
whether it's pursuing your career, orsearching for opportunities or investing resources, it's
crucial to direct your efforts towards thethings that offer a higher probability of success.
In short, if you want tobe successful, and that's the name
of the podcast, if you wantto be successful, then you need to
(03:00):
be strategic and selective in choosing whereyou invest your time, your energy,
and your resources. You absolutely mustidentify and target opportunities or situations where there
is a greater chance of achieving yourgoals or finding whatever else you are seeking.
So stop wasting your time and effortsin areas where you've getten no chance
(03:22):
of success or historically you've got absolutelynowhere, and focus instead on areas with
potential, because only by doing thiswill you increase your odds of success and
maximize the effectiveness of your efforts.So that one is just don't go fishing
where there ain't no fish. Thinkabout it, apply to your life,
(03:44):
and I gift it to you.Second up perfection. And I've done a
show about this already. I thinkit was episode like six or something like
that. Perfection is not possible,nor is it productive. Do you hear
me? This is a productivity show. Listen to what I'm saying. Perfection
is not possible nor is it productive. As I've said in the show many
(04:11):
times before, striving for absolute perfectionis both unattainable and counterproductive. Simply put,
absolute perfection is an unrealistic and impracticalgoal. When you pursue perfection,
you set unattainable standards for yourself orothers that are working with you, perhaps
which will lead to frustration, stress, and disappointment. Perfectionism hinders progress,
(04:36):
and it hinders productivity because the questfor flawlessness will always consume excessive time,
energy, and resources. And byrecognizing this, by recognizing that absolute perfection
is not possible, it will allowyou to accept your inherent imperfections as a
(04:57):
human being. It will encourage youto shift your focus from an unattainable ideal
to a more realistic approach that valuesprogress, growth and learning from your mistakes.
So, instead of striving for anunattainable perfection. It is far more
productive to pursue excellence, continuous improvement, and the achievement of meaningful goals,
(05:24):
because by embracing imperfection and focusing insteadon your progress, you will maintain a
healthier mindset, You'll make practical decisionsand channel your efforts into areas that yield
tangible results. And I used tostrive for perfection. I understand perfectionism,
(05:45):
but I also understand how it heldme back. I'll never forget a job
out of you. And they saidto me it might even have been an
addition or something like, what areyour strength? And I said, perfectionism
like smart thinking. I was,you know, saying the right thing.
And I was probably like seventeen whenI said that. Thinking back, if
I was asked a question again now, I would say not that I am
a perfectionist. I wouldn't say thatanymore, but I would say that I
(06:05):
strive for excellence. And I havehad criticism in the past for someone who
misunderstands what I'm saying. When Isay this, I am aiming for very
very good, and my very verygood is very very good, at least
as good as I can manage withinthe budgetary constraints of time constraints, or
the skill set that is available tome. It is not an attitude.
(06:29):
What's the atude A lat'll do attitude. I don't have a that will do
attitude. I'll do the best Ican, and sometimes that best is not
as good as I would like itto be. But I do say to
myself on occasion, done is betterthan perfect, and that will always help
me to get past perfectionism. Butthat doesn't mean that I'll do the worst
(06:49):
possible job that I can with theleast amount of effort just to move past
it. I'm definitely struggling at themoment with the work that I'm doing on
my short film, The Traveler,and I'm trying not to have that that'll
do attitude. And there's a lotof people still putting a lot of effort
into fixing some problems, specifically withVFX blue screen, which I have used
(07:10):
in the past and has not workedout the way I had hoped it would
work out, and we're trying tomake that as good as possible. I
can tell you now it will notbe perfect, but I will get that
done to at a reasonably high leveland the film will be completed. I
can't work forever endlessly on something whichwill never never complete. So that's one
where definitely I'm not going to getperfection, but I will get pretty darn
(07:34):
good. That's as much as Ican hope for at this point in time.
The point is that perfection is notpossible, nor is it productive.
If I had aimed for perfection onthe Traveler, it would never ever ever
be released. Finally, here today, the third peril of wisdom is what's
(07:56):
for you will not go by you. I'll see it again, what's for
you will not go by you?And this is a Scottish proverb and one
that my mom said to me manytimes as a struggle through my acting career,
and that was another life ago,but it is still an adage that
I live by. It's the beliefthat if something is meant to be yours,
(08:18):
or if there is an opportunity oran outcome that's truly meant for you,
it will ultimately be within your reach. And this is perhaps more about
headspace than anything else, as itimplies that there is a greater force or
plan at play in our lives whichguides us towards what is meant to be
what's important for me in this isthat when you face a disappointment, and
(08:41):
let's face it, in the freelancecreative world, we do face disappointment quite
a lot at the time. Thismindset provides comfort and reassurance in situations where
we feel disappointed or are discouraged bymissed opportunities or setbacks. It helps us
to heal and move on into thenext potential opportunity, and it also teaches
(09:03):
us that if we have missed outon something, or if a particular outcome
did not go our way, itsimply it was not meant to be and
something else, perhaps even better,awaits us in the future. We should
never overly fret or worry about thingsthat are beyond or control, because ultimately
(09:24):
what is truly meant we'll find itsway to us. It builds faith in
the timing and direction of our livesand allows us to navigate through uncertainty with
patience. In essence, what's foryou will not go by you. It's
a reminder to have faith in thegreater plan of destiny, to let go
(09:45):
of what is not meant for you, and to embrace the opportunities that are
genuinely aligned with your path and yourpurpose. And this may sound a little
bit like I'm verging into the secret. And I buy into this, by
the way, not because I reallybelieve in the secret, which I did
a show about last season. You'llunderstand where I'm standing that, but because
(10:09):
I do believe in the stoic conceptof control. It teaches us that we
can't always control what happens to us, but we can always decide how we
react to it. Our response isour responsibility. It's a choice, and
that's what's for you. We'll notgo buy you. Let's recap then on
(10:33):
what I've brought up today. There'svalue in this, and I hope you
can find the time to consider it. Number One, don't go fishing where
there ain't no fish. Don't wasteyour time somewhere where you're not going to
get what you want. Two.Perfection is not possible, nor is it
(10:54):
productive. If you keep working onsomething endlessly aiming for perfection, you'll never
there. And while you're wasting yourtime trying to achieve that perfection, you're
losing the opportunity to do other things. New things, potentially make more income,
create more art, whatever. Sobeware of this perfection is not possible,
(11:15):
nor is it productive. And finally, headspace thing, what's for you
will not go by you. What'sfor you will not go by you.
So that's it. I'm enjoying thesemini shows, by the way, and
I'm also enjoying not given too muchaway and what will be on the next
one. Simply put, if you'reliking what you hear, please subscribe on
(11:37):
the podcast app of your choice andtune in next week to find out more.
Please do go and subscribe if you'venot done so already. It's so
important that I get people subscribing.And if you've got the time and the
effort and the wherewithal I'd also reallyappreciate it, if you've not done so
already, if you would go onto Apple Podcasts and leave a review,
(12:00):
and that's very, very valuable.Another thing that's very valuable is if you're
listening to this show on your phone, screen grab it and post it to
social media saying you enjoyed the show. All of these things help the show
to find new listeners. All ofthese things help the show to move forward.
So thank you for that. That'send today, though with some stoic
words about wisdom from Epictitus, whosaid it is impossible to begin to learn
(12:26):
that which one thinks one already knows. Now, take control of your own
destiny, keep on shooting and joinme next time on Film Pro Productivity and
Success. The music that you hearright now is Adventures by Ahumitsu and you
(12:50):
can view the show notes the fullshow notes for this episode on the official
website only, and that is filmpro Productivity dot com. You can also
follow my personal account so on Twitterand Instagram at Fight Underscore Director, or
follow the show on Twitter the officialone on Twitter at film pro prod Pod.
Please support the show by subscribing,spreading the word, and leaving an
(13:13):
awesome review.
Hello, and welcome back to FilmPro, Productivity and Success, the podcast
that helps film professionals and other creativepeople. All creative people I like to
think to live a more focused,effective and happy life. My name is
Carter Ferguson and this is episode onehundred and thirty nine three Perils of Invaluable
(00:26):
Wisdom. There are always lessons tobe found in the darkest moments. It's
a moral obligation to dig deep andfind that little glimmer of hope or peril
of wisdom. Andrea Pilow unquote,as we all know, a peril of
wisdom is a piece of wise advice. It's something that is meta, not
(00:51):
metamorphically, metaphorically as precious as perils. And this phrase has been about for
centuries and it came about, Ibelieve, as perils themselves take a very
long time to form, just likethe wise words of knowledge that they are
compared to. And this, Folks, is another short episode, a minnisode.
I like to refer to it asAnd it actually is a little bit
(01:12):
harder for me to do a shortepisode. It's a little more effort to
do a short episode, believe itor not, than a long one.
But I can absolutely assure you ispacked full of invaluable advice. Without further
ado, then I ask you tosettle down and listen up to these three
perls of productivity wisdom. The firstof these is a topic which I almost
(01:34):
did a whole show on, butI think it's it's just enough to represent
a third of a show rather thanone whole show. And it's something that's
just it's something I've noticed when I'mtrying to promote myself. It's something I've
noticed when I'm trying to get work. Is something I've noticed when I'm trying
to raise funds or whatever. Andthe phrase is this, don't go fishing
(01:55):
where there ain't no fish. I'llsay that one more time. Don't go
fishing where there ain't no fish.It's a metaphorical expression that advises against wasting
your time, your efforts, oryour resources on endeavors that are unlikely to
yield any of the desired results orbenefits that you're seeking. Instead, it
(02:16):
suggests you should focus on opportunities orsituations where there is a higher likelihood of
success or fulfillment. And in aliteral sense, when you go fishing,
the primary goal is to catch fish, and if you choose a location where
there aren't no fish, you willlikely spend a lot of time and effort
without achieving your desired outcome. Andsimilarly, in various aspects of life,
(02:39):
whether it's pursuing your career, orsearching for opportunities or investing resources, it's
crucial to direct your efforts towards thethings that offer a higher probability of success.
In short, if you want tobe successful, and that's the name
of the podcast, if you wantto be successful, then you need to
(03:00):
be strategic and selective in choosing whereyou invest your time, your energy,
and your resources. You absolutely mustidentify and target opportunities or situations where there
is a greater chance of achieving yourgoals or finding whatever else you are seeking.
So stop wasting your time and effortsin areas where you've getten no chance
(03:22):
of success or historically you've got absolutelynowhere, and focus instead on areas with
potential, because only by doing thiswill you increase your odds of success and
maximize the effectiveness of your efforts.So that one is just don't go fishing
where there ain't no fish. Thinkabout it, apply to your life,
(03:44):
and I gift it to you.Second up perfection. And I've done a
show about this already. I thinkit was episode like six or something like
that. Perfection is not possible,nor is it productive. Do you hear
me? This is a productivity show. Listen to what I'm saying. Perfection
is not possible nor is it productive. As I've said in the show many
(04:11):
times before, striving for absolute perfectionis both unattainable and counterproductive. Simply put,
absolute perfection is an unrealistic and impracticalgoal. When you pursue perfection,
you set unattainable standards for yourself orothers that are working with you, perhaps
which will lead to frustration, stress, and disappointment. Perfectionism hinders progress,
(04:36):
and it hinders productivity because the questfor flawlessness will always consume excessive time,
energy, and resources. And byrecognizing this, by recognizing that absolute perfection
is not possible, it will allowyou to accept your inherent imperfections as a
(04:57):
human being. It will encourage youto shift your focus from an unattainable ideal
to a more realistic approach that valuesprogress, growth and learning from your mistakes.
So, instead of striving for anunattainable perfection. It is far more
productive to pursue excellence, continuous improvement, and the achievement of meaningful goals,
(05:24):
because by embracing imperfection and focusing insteadon your progress, you will maintain a
healthier mindset, You'll make practical decisionsand channel your efforts into areas that yield
tangible results. And I used tostrive for perfection. I understand perfectionism,
(05:45):
but I also understand how it heldme back. I'll never forget a job
out of you. And they saidto me it might even have been an
addition or something like, what areyour strength? And I said, perfectionism
like smart thinking. I was,you know, saying the right thing.
And I was probably like seventeen whenI said that. Thinking back, if
I was asked a question again now, I would say not that I am
a perfectionist. I wouldn't say thatanymore, but I would say that I
(06:05):
strive for excellence. And I havehad criticism in the past for someone who
misunderstands what I'm saying. When Isay this, I am aiming for very
very good, and my very verygood is very very good, at least
as good as I can manage withinthe budgetary constraints of time constraints, or
the skill set that is available tome. It is not an attitude.
(06:29):
What's the atude A lat'll do attitude. I don't have a that will do
attitude. I'll do the best Ican, and sometimes that best is not
as good as I would like itto be. But I do say to
myself on occasion, done is betterthan perfect, and that will always help
me to get past perfectionism. Butthat doesn't mean that I'll do the worst
(06:49):
possible job that I can with theleast amount of effort just to move past
it. I'm definitely struggling at themoment with the work that I'm doing on
my short film, The Traveler,and I'm trying not to have that that'll
do attitude. And there's a lotof people still putting a lot of effort
into fixing some problems, specifically withVFX blue screen, which I have used
(07:10):
in the past and has not workedout the way I had hoped it would
work out, and we're trying tomake that as good as possible. I
can tell you now it will notbe perfect, but I will get that
done to at a reasonably high leveland the film will be completed. I
can't work forever endlessly on something whichwill never never complete. So that's one
where definitely I'm not going to getperfection, but I will get pretty darn
(07:34):
good. That's as much as Ican hope for at this point in time.
The point is that perfection is notpossible, nor is it productive.
If I had aimed for perfection onthe Traveler, it would never ever ever
be released. Finally, here today, the third peril of wisdom is what's
(07:56):
for you will not go by you. I'll see it again, what's for
you will not go by you?And this is a Scottish proverb and one
that my mom said to me manytimes as a struggle through my acting career,
and that was another life ago,but it is still an adage that
I live by. It's the beliefthat if something is meant to be yours,
(08:18):
or if there is an opportunity oran outcome that's truly meant for you,
it will ultimately be within your reach. And this is perhaps more about
headspace than anything else, as itimplies that there is a greater force or
plan at play in our lives whichguides us towards what is meant to be
what's important for me in this isthat when you face a disappointment, and
(08:41):
let's face it, in the freelancecreative world, we do face disappointment quite
a lot at the time. Thismindset provides comfort and reassurance in situations where
we feel disappointed or are discouraged bymissed opportunities or setbacks. It helps us
to heal and move on into thenext potential opportunity, and it also teaches
(09:03):
us that if we have missed outon something, or if a particular outcome
did not go our way, itsimply it was not meant to be and
something else, perhaps even better,awaits us in the future. We should
never overly fret or worry about thingsthat are beyond or control, because ultimately
(09:24):
what is truly meant we'll find itsway to us. It builds faith in
the timing and direction of our livesand allows us to navigate through uncertainty with
patience. In essence, what's foryou will not go by you. It's
a reminder to have faith in thegreater plan of destiny, to let go
(09:45):
of what is not meant for you, and to embrace the opportunities that are
genuinely aligned with your path and yourpurpose. And this may sound a little
bit like I'm verging into the secret. And I buy into this, by
the way, not because I reallybelieve in the secret, which I did
a show about last season. You'llunderstand where I'm standing that, but because
(10:09):
I do believe in the stoic conceptof control. It teaches us that we
can't always control what happens to us, but we can always decide how we
react to it. Our response isour responsibility. It's a choice, and
that's what's for you. We'll notgo buy you. Let's recap then on
(10:33):
what I've brought up today. There'svalue in this, and I hope you
can find the time to consider it. Number One, don't go fishing where
there ain't no fish. Don't wasteyour time somewhere where you're not going to
get what you want. Two.Perfection is not possible, nor is it
(10:54):
productive. If you keep working onsomething endlessly aiming for perfection, you'll never
there. And while you're wasting yourtime trying to achieve that perfection, you're
losing the opportunity to do other things. New things, potentially make more income,
create more art, whatever. Sobeware of this perfection is not possible,
(11:15):
nor is it productive. And finally, headspace thing, what's for you
will not go by you. What'sfor you will not go by you.
So that's it. I'm enjoying thesemini shows, by the way, and
I'm also enjoying not given too muchaway and what will be on the next
one. Simply put, if you'reliking what you hear, please subscribe on
(11:37):
the podcast app of your choice andtune in next week to find out more.
Please do go and subscribe if you'venot done so already. It's so
important that I get people subscribing.And if you've got the time and the
effort and the wherewithal I'd also reallyappreciate it, if you've not done so
already, if you would go onto Apple Podcasts and leave a review,
(12:00):
and that's very, very valuable.Another thing that's very valuable is if you're
listening to this show on your phone, screen grab it and post it to
social media saying you enjoyed the show. All of these things help the show
to find new listeners. All ofthese things help the show to move forward.
So thank you for that. That'send today, though with some stoic
words about wisdom from Epictitus, whosaid it is impossible to begin to learn
(12:26):
that which one thinks one already knows. Now, take control of your own
destiny, keep on shooting and joinme next time on Film Pro Productivity and
Success. The music that you hearright now is Adventures by Ahumitsu and you
(12:50):
can view the show notes the fullshow notes for this episode on the official
website only, and that is filmpro Productivity dot com. You can also
follow my personal account so on Twitterand Instagram at Fight Underscore Director, or
follow the show on Twitter the officialone on Twitter at film pro prod Pod.
Please support the show by subscribing,spreading the word, and leaving an
(13:13):
awesome review.
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